Given a new head coach and a brutal road-heavy schedule to open the year, it would have been understandable for the Pistons to stumble out of the gate. Instead, they've dashed out to a 19-3 record, the best record in the league. Through 21 games last year, the Pistons were just 11-10.
Right now, starting tonight, this is where things will get really interesting. The Pistons are about to play eight of their next nine games at the Palace, doubling their tally so far this season. The Pistons won 78% of their home games last season, and they're 7-1 so far this year. If they manage to win at least six of their next nine games -- a reasonable expectation, to say the least -- they'll be no worse than 25-6 through 31 games, an eight-game improvement over where they were last year after 31 games. And, as the Detroit News points out, the Pistons have just one more trip out West left on the schedule, which bodes well for the rest of the season.
Good times, my friends. Good times.